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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 333 420 CS 212 857 AUTHOR Morris, Barbra S., Ed. TITLE Writing To Learn in Disciplines: Detroit Teachers Combine Research and Practice in Their Classrooms. INSTITUTION Detroit Public Schools, Mich.; Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor. PUB DATE 20 Apr 91 NOTE 157p.; A Detroit Public Schools/University of Michigan Collaborative Publication. PUB TYPE Guides - Classroom Use - Teaching Uuides (For Teacher) (052) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC07 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS College School Cooperation; English Instruction; Graduate Study; Higher Education; High Schools; *Lesson Plans; Mathematics Instruction; Middle -- Schools; Science Instruction; Social Studies;Teacfier Administrator Relationship; Teacher Role; *Theory Practice Relationship; *Writing Across the Curriculum IDENTIFIERS Detroit Public Schools MI; *Writing to Learn ABSTRACT Illustrating Detroit, Michigan, teachers' own writing-to-learn activities, this manual represents the product of course work by middle and high school science and humanities teachers enrolled in a graduate course entitied "Leadership in Writing across the Curriculum." Sections of the manual include: (1) "Writing in Science Classes"; (2) "Writing in English Classes"; (3) "Writing in Math Classes"; (4) "Writing about Social Studies Content"; (5) "Using Writing To Learn To Improve Administration and Support Teaching"; (6) "Student Voices"; and (7) "Detroit Teachers' Plans and Concerns: Toward Dissemination of Writing To Learn throughout the Curriculum." Appendixes include a course description, an agenda for a panel program, a course evaluation report, a magazine article "A Partnership in Education," and a 32-item bibliography for writing to learn in the secondary school. (RS) **************************ft******************************************* * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******* ***** *************************************************-********* 2 ".7-` 44.,./), - , "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY U. DEPARTMENT OP EOUCATFON Office of Educations] Research and improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Thii dOCument nos peen reproduced as received from the percon or Omani:stir:in originating it 0 Minor changes have Peen made to improve reproduction QualitY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." Points ol view or opinions stated in this docu- mint do not necessarily, represent official OERI position or policy BEST COPY MA BLE Writing to Learn in Disciplines: Detroit Teachers Combine Research and Practice in their Classrooms A Detroit Public Schools/University of Michigan Collaborative Publication, 1991 Project Director and Editor: Barbra S. Morris Contributing Authors: Karin Brown Ele McKenna Tracy Carpenter Barbra S. Morris Geraldine Conoway Beverley Moseley Helen Did ley Kristine Murray Jean Ellis Anne Platt Mary M. Evans Sharon Rouse Norman Grange Austin Sanders Arbrie Griffin Rick Seefelt Ellen Harcourt Joyce Simpson Kwasi Machupa Lillian Williamson Representing: Finney High School Kettering High School Mackenzie High School Mumford High School Murphy Middle School Ruddiman Middle School Western High School University of Michigan Table of Contents Luc Dedication and Definition 1 Preface 3 Introduction. 7 A File of Writing-to-Learn Assignments across the Curriculum in Detroit Schools 19 Section I Writing in Science Classes 20 Section II Writing in English Classes 33 Section III Writing in Math Classes 59 Section IV Writing about Social Studies Content 68 Section V Using Writing to Learn to Improve Administration and Support Teaching 90 Section VI Student Voices 101 Section VII Detroit Teachers' Plans and Concerns: Toward Dissemination of Writing to Learn throughout the Curriculum 108 Appendix A. Course Description Appendix B. Course: Panel Program 3/15/90 Appendix C. Course Evaluation Report Appendix D. A Partnership in Education Appendix E.Bibliography Acknowledgements DEDICATION ANDDEFINITION This manual is dedicatedto Detroit students; it is illustrativeof Detroit teachers' own writing-to-learnactivities in their middle schooland high school classroomsacross the curriculum. What is Matingifasam? Writing to learn refersto a practical, productive teachingstrategy that encourages students to write regularly andinformally from theirown experiences, insights, andperspectives about subjectmatter across the curriculum. In fact, Writingto Learn is consistent with the educational movement referred to as writingacross the curriculum (WAC); writingto learn calls attentionto the why of writing and WAC callsattention to where (in every discipline). How does writing to learnsupport teaching and learning? Asyou see from sample studentwriting in this manual, writingto learn motivates students to engage personallywith course concepts, by employingdiscovery techniques and critical inquiryas well as through practicing creative problem- solving. Typical assignments askstudents to lnd experience fromoutside and inside the classroom, forexample, combining differing mediafor expression or drawingupon first-hand evidence to support ideas;writing-to- learn assignments include:logs, field notes, journals, personalreflections, descriptions, definitions, story-telling,comic strips, games, puzzles, lists of questions, hypotheses, tentativeconclusions, predictions,responses (to readings, lectures, films, television,neighborhood life, self, etc.),speculative free-writing, interviews, collaborativescripts, adaptations, andso on. One importantpurpose of writing to learn is to help students enjoy learning; for the teacher, students'regular writing demonstrates steady,active engagement with course-relatedconcepts. When students' writing, whether ungraded or graded, is gathered inportfolios, each portfolio becomesan impressive record of developments intheir critical thinking about ideasraised in courses. 1 (1 When writing to learn is promoted across the curriculum, it sends several messages to students: (1) your writing ability matters in every content area to every teacher, (2) writing is a valuable tool for teasing out and reflecting upon your thinking, (3) reading your ideas in writing helps you and your teachers promote understanding of course material. Sharing writing-to-learn assignments among teachers in content areas stimulates discussion about encouraging students to use writing for exploration and development of their thinking; writing to learn can become a school-wide practice. As educators, regardless of our conten: areas, we still know far too little about relationships for our students between writing and learning, reading and writing, thinking and writing, motivation and writing, cognitive growth and writing. Only if more teachers across the curriculum are both confident and supported in using varied kinds of writing for learning can we gain deeper insights into the important functions writing serves in students' continued intellectual growth. Barbra S. Morris, Detroit Public Schools/ University of Michigan Collaborative Project Director 2 6 PREFACE Barbra S. Morris, Project Director This manual doesn't stand alone; it exists because of a longhistory of many sustained, successful collaborativeefforts that have linked the Detroit Public Schools with the University of Michigan. More specifically,this particular manual has its origins in an educational partnership datingback to 1985: a model academic writing program in Detroit's MackenzieHigh School. The stated objectives of the original Mackenzie High School/Universityof Michigan Writing Project (MHS/UM WP) were to encourage students towrite more often, more fluently and effectively,and more self-confidently; moreover, students in the MHS/UM WP were tobe encouraged to "picture themselves" attending college as they experienced several special enrichment activities that linked their school with the University's campus. (The MHS/UM WP is more fully described in an article in the Appendixand in annual reports that are available either from Mackenzie HighSchool or the University of Michigan's English Composition Board; it is relevanthere to note that the MHS/UM WP was designated by theNational Council of Teachers of English as the state of Michigan's Center of Excellencefor the 1990- 91 school year.) Interest in developing "grass-roots" writing programselsewhere in Detroit to enhance students' academic writing, reading,and critical thinking abilities led to design of a Winter 1990 University of Michigangraduate course (working title: Leadership in Writing Across the Curriculum)taught by Barbra S. Morris and Ele McKenna. Teachers fromdifferent disciplines representing seven schools in Detroit wereenrolled (course information included in Appendix). This manual is the product of course workby Detroit teachers from the Sciences and Humanities, who taught in thefollowing middle and high schools: Finney High School, Kettering HighSchool, Mackenzie High School, Mumford High School, Murphy Middle School,Ruddiman Middle School, and Western High School. 3 The teachers representing the seven schools read about, developed, experimented with, and evaluated writipg-to-learn activities in their own classrooms. All teachers in the course kept journals and records of teaching innovations: assignments, samples of students' writing, and evaluations of students' work. During the weekly three-hour course sessions, teachers discussed assigned course readings, and shared and planned together, their efforts to improve their own students' learning through required writing,